The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-07-17
FASHIONS CHANGES In FIGHTING.
The Once Profitable Business of Doctoring
Black Eyes Ruined by the Ready Revolver.

That peculiar discoloration about the organ of
vision, caused by the violent impact of the human
hand when it takes the form of knuckles. known
as s.black eye," is by no means as frequent as
il was dozen years or more ago. Occasionally
a black eye a pair of black eyes appear in the
prisoners box upon the witness-stand before
his Honor. the Mayor, but this orbcular exhibit
is infrequent Nov and then the exhibitor is d
woman who has been beaten by a drunken
wretch Of a husband. or Nancy Sykes who has
fallen under the brutal blows of one to whom
she is bound By no legal tie.
A few years ago. when q soysterer got . black
eye in fight, he had choice of three four
remedies to remove the badge of nferiority and
shame He could apply vinegar. which was
slow and unsatisfactory way of removing the
discoloration; raw beefsteak, which was con-
sidered somewhat better, or he could have
leeches applied. The last remedy was consid-
cred capital one. as the bloodsuckers withdrew
the tell-tae discoloration with the accompany
ing puff and tenderness and the victim was af-
ter a few hours secIusion, again prese ntabe in
society without danger of attracting undue no
tice or being twitted with his misha
A dozen years ago German barber named
F'erling at tine southeast corner of Meridian and
Washington streets. under the First Natio n al
Bank, did q thr living business in blood-letting-
cupping lancing and leechirg. The BARRIERS
pole in front of his place of business typifed inst
what it did and hundred and more years be-
fore, when the barber was a sort of surgeon and
when bleeding wes customary. To assist the
operation of bleeding it was anciently necessary
for the patient to grasp staff, stick or pole
which was always kept by the barber-surgson,
together with the bandaging he used for tying
the patients arm. pole was painted with nth
stripes around 1t, in Imitation OF the
real pole and 5andage, and thus came the sign.
sFerling was in great request after a successful
picnic in those days by young bloods who had
accumulated black eyes. and he applied leeches
skillfully and to his great profit. He was also in
frequent demand by physicians. chiefly German
practitioners. for cupping as well as leecniEg.
Cupping is the procuring of q discharge OF blood
from q scarifed part of the body by means Of
cups. from which the air has been exhausted.
In this case atmospheric pressure Is made to do
the work of the leech.
The universal favor obtained by the ready
volver has almost entirely done away with the
sale of leeches. Instead Of discoloring each 9TH
er by an encounter with naked fists revolver,
popularity and laconically designated "a gum" is
breEg ht into use The revolver does not labor
in Me interest of the old-fashioned barber with
his leeches. but is the friend of the funeral d.
rector. Higher education has brought more
aesthetic taste. and the of the fist is coarse
and vulgar. This change in public sentiment was
man who had killed old man by cracking his
skull with his fist, was brought to Jail. An old
man in Jail for killing a man by shooting him
with a revolver when the nature of the new
rivals offense was explained to him, expressed
deep disgust. "Great Heavens!" he exclaimed,
what a beastly way of killing a man. Why
didn't you use revolver, like a gentleman2"
For a time following description of painting
orbicular discoloratons copied from New
York paper by the local press, there was small
demand for artistic work of that kind A Ger
man artist painted few black eyes for par
ticular applicants and the late artist, A. E.
Sinks, painted out the October sunset that
circled the eyes OF young friend and after
wards wrote glowing account of how the work
was done. describing it in technical phrases and
with great humor.